I've had to do the toss-expired-food at mom's place for years running. The freezer is a particular worst. Thankfully, regarding Mom's pantries as a source for my personal groceries, which are much more tightly controlled and have very little expired, or even purchased before the start of the year[*1], makes this an easier task. The "Augh, no." gets discreetly tossed; the "Hmmm. maybe" comes home with me to get used promptly, and the rest can slowly expire. But more cleaning needs be done; I recently found food that expired in 2005.
The freezer as mentioned is a tricky and horribly overstuffed bit. It's a sincere mess, and left to her own devices, the bread heels and unidentifiable meats in there might be around for her retirement.
--Chi [*1] Actually long-expired would be the Vidalia Onion Salad dressing (2005!), but it still tastes good- REALLY good- and it's the one I focus on the most for my salads, using it at least 50% of the time to try and finish it up. K is more around-the-map on Salad dressings, I think confused by not having multiple bottles of salad dressing around since the Reagan Administration. K's also had four open boxes of breakfast cereal, and has stocked the fridge with three flavors two-liters, two flavors of 20-ounce bottles, and no less than 5 separate flavors of 12-ounce cans. ... I remember visiting K before in Maryland and seeing exactly one two-liter of soda in fridge, and that half-empty. I think plentitude confuses him. I buy the soda in large quantity on sale, but we have the pantry to store it, and it doesn't all need to be in the fridge crowding things. (Sorry. mild rant.) Outside of the Vidalia Dressing, spices, and slow-spoil sauces like ketchup and hoisin... the only things here from before the start of the year are rice, flour, baking powder, honey, and brown sugar. The rice is my fault, as buying a 10-pound bag while mom had 4 pounds of it still at her place was a silly choice.[*2] [*2] Mom does not like rice, either.
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rosecarmine
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Date: 2010-07-28 08:55 am (UTC)The freezer as mentioned is a tricky and horribly overstuffed bit. It's a sincere mess, and left to her own devices, the bread heels and unidentifiable meats in there might be around for her retirement.
--Chi
[*1] Actually long-expired would be the Vidalia Onion Salad dressing (2005!), but it still tastes good- REALLY good- and it's the one I focus on the most for my salads, using it at least 50% of the time to try and finish it up. K is more around-the-map on Salad dressings, I think confused by not having multiple bottles of salad dressing around since the Reagan Administration. K's also had four open boxes of breakfast cereal, and has stocked the fridge with three flavors two-liters, two flavors of 20-ounce bottles, and no less than 5 separate flavors of 12-ounce cans. ... I remember visiting K before in Maryland and seeing exactly one two-liter of soda in fridge, and that half-empty. I think plentitude confuses him. I buy the soda in large quantity on sale, but we have the pantry to store it, and it doesn't all need to be in the fridge crowding things. (Sorry. mild rant.)
Outside of the Vidalia Dressing, spices, and slow-spoil sauces like ketchup and hoisin... the only things here from before the start of the year are rice, flour, baking powder, honey, and brown sugar. The rice is my fault, as buying a 10-pound bag while mom had 4 pounds of it still at her place was a silly choice.[*2]
[*2] Mom does not like rice, either.